I Am Supreme

"Work hard, children."

There was an inexplicable sense of sympathy in the white-gowned lady's voice as she said, "When your cultivation base reaches a level where it can be of use, your parents' friends will come looking for you to rescue them together. In this universe, those who are able to save them are too few in number. Perhaps, other than their direct descendants, there are no others."

"This is the Ninth Abyss' unique arcane magic," she spoke in a low voice.

Yun Yang second-guessed himself then. 'Could this actually be real?'

No matter how calm the lady looked and how serious her actions were, it was a challenge to hold back her laughter; she almost broke the façade a few times. She ultimately succeeded with much effort, the willed composure built up from countless years allowing her to maintain the grim front without a crack in her serious mien.

All this while, the exchange of voice travel had gone on many times externally –

"Aren't you being too spiteful?"

"So what? Old Black thinks I'm powerless against him if I don't do something."

"Won't you be bringing down karma upon yourself? You've already induced one the last time, now you're provoking Old Black. When will the issues come to rest?"

"Whatever. I think the more karma like this I collect, the better. They want to accomplish things smoothly and pass on the heritage? There's no such convenience in this universe. They don't even come to greet me. So be it... Now, I'd like to see what they can do to me…"

"Nonetheless, it's still too much to twist the situation like this. They're their biological parents."

"They're doing things within my territory. How can it happen without them showing any sincerity? I'm not going to take such a loss."

"If so, Old Black is going to be a sick black sheep. It's still good karma if it's just the effort that's wasted, but if…"

"This is the result I want. Have you already taken in your disciple?"

"Yes, I'll take her back in a while."

"Let me go over to recruit a disciple or two as well sometime later. I can't let a certain someone be the pioneer in this."

"So this is the idea you're thinking of. It's not a bad one at that."

"You realized it as well? This way, it'll be their people and ours. How is that related to Old Black now? I'm so happy!"

"Hah! You're delighted, but this opportunity didn't come by easily for Old Black… He's borrowed the Bound of Universe to set things up just to leverage on the providence to accomplish the Ninth Abyss, but instead, he became an enemy by your books… Old Black's done so much to make himself an enemy! This is too much…"

"Cough, this can still be negotiated. As long as he comes to me to apologize, I'll give it back to him. I'm benevolent and generous. I'm accepting. That's how a smart one behaves."

"Hah!" The lady in white almost spat blood. "Apologize? Did they offend you? It's you who've been finding fault with them all these years! You haven't taken enough advantage as well as finding troubles?"

"It's his fault anyway!" The voice over on the other side was vehement. "Am I someone who simply finds fault with others and incurs random karma? The current situation is that he was wrong first! Since he's at fault, is it unreasonable that I want him to apologize?"

The white-dressed lady was stunned.

It seemed… to sound quite logical when said that way... but could it really be the case?

Arguing insistently and rigorously? Simply making up statements? Messing things up?

"Come back quickly once you're done deceiving them lest the child sees through you. The child's the same like his dad, both very cunning. He's called Supreme Wits in that realm of his – that child is cocky." The voice over on the other side began urging.

"This child is not at all like his dad. This child looks upright, he exudes ethics, the kind of a warrior who sacrifices for the nation and people. His character is noble, an absolute hero. He's a mythical main character of another universe's legend."

"Isn't that similar to me? Is he as amazing as all that?" asked the voice on the other side.

The lady rolled her eyes speechlessly and curtly cut the conversation single-handedly.

'I've never seen such a shameless man! You're thoroughly evil, how could you compare yourself to Yun Yang? This young man is a true hero!'

Then, the white-dressed lady saw Shangguan Lingxiu walking over with red-rimmed eyes. Each step she took was as heavy as lead. Her gaze at Yun Yang and Ji Lingxi was filled with longing.

"Lingxiu is here," said Aunt Mei, "I'm about to take her away. Speak quickly, say what you have to say. Bid farewell. In the future, all of you can't drag each other down, but I think… you'll meet again then. There'll be other chances to meet."

Ji Lingxi's head swung up curtly. "Sister Lingxiu is leaving with you? For how long?"

The emotions in the girl's gaze turned into a deep sense of reluctance.

"It's not up to me to say how long exactly," answered Aunt Mei gently, "This depends on how diligent she is and how hardworking you fellows are."

Ji Lingxi was stunned.

Aunt Mei had just spoken but she had vanished immediately. Those who disappeared along with her were Bai Yixue and Fang Mofei; evidently, these two men had been tossed out.

There were only Yun Yang, Ji Lingxi and Shangguan Lingxiu in the yard now, enclosed in relative privacy.

In spite of this, the trio had no words for each other. After a moment, Ji Lingxi bit her lips and forced a smile, speaking dryly, "I'll wait for you all outside. You two talk."

As she said that, she turned to leave.

Shangguan Lingxiu's eyes brimmed with intense gratitude then. Ji Lingxi's withdrawal now meant too much to her.

To this day, all the promises in the past were only symbolic. If someone were to regret it one day, there was nothing to be blamed on, simply because there was no actuality!

Yet, Ji Lingxi's decision to step away from here at this time and leave the space entirely to Shangguan Lingxiu, especially at this moment of separation, represented a different attitude. This was proof that Ji Lingxi had completely taken Shangguan Lingxiu as one of her family – or perhaps, one of the Yun family!

She would not be taking the step that she drew back today, in this lifetime. As long as Shangguan Lingxiu's heart did not change and as long as Yun Yang did not die, everything was set in the stone!

Set upon her intentions and even showing them with her action, Ji Lingxi who left still could not help sighing. Arriving outside the door, Aunt Mei showed admiration in her eyes when she saw Ji Lingxi walking out and asked with a smile, "Aren't you upset?"